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About

Reverend Stephen Stahley is a wedding officiant based in Ranson, West Virginia. As an ordained Catholic priest, this officiant works with clients to structure a service that reflects their aspirations and goals. Rev. Stahley prides himself on respecting and honoring all couples and faiths. He works with couples throughout the Washington D.C area, performing weddings at both indoor and outdoor venues.

Experience

Rev. Stahley was ordained a Catholic priest in 1978 as a member of the Missionary Servants of the Most Holy Trinity. He served parishes in West Virginia, Kentucky, and Ohio. In 1988, Rev. Stahley resigned from the active priesthood and married his wife, Lisa. After a long career with the Montgomery County Government, he retired from public service and now devotes himself to a wide range of ministerial duties. Since 2003, Rev. Stahley has officiated at over 400 weddings throughout the nation.

Services Offered

While Reverend Stahley specializes in Catholic-themed nuptials, he has officiated at a wide range of religious, non-religious, and interfaith wedding ceremonies. Additionally, he has performed civil unions and vow renewals. While many couples prefer to go with established vow and ring formats, Rev. Stahley is happy to work with newlyweds-to-be who want to write their own pledges. He is also happy for them to add their own special elements to the wedding ceremony. If you are affiliated with a specific religion, Reverend Stahley will be glad to work with you in developing a ceremony that reflects the beauty and significance of your tradition.

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Frequently asked questions

Which of the following are included in the price of your wedding officiant services?

Ceremony Rehearsal

Does starting price include the ceremony rehearsal?

Yes

What is the starting price for ceremony rehearsals?

$52

What is the starting price for pre-marital counseling (per session)?

$100

What types of weddings and events do you provide services for?

Non-religious
Interfaith
Ceremony Rehearsal
Vow Renewal
Civil Union

What religious affiliations do you serve?

Agnostic
Anglican
Baha'i Faith
Buddhist
Catholic
Earth-Based
Episcopalian
Hindu
Islam
Jainism
Jewish
Lutheran
Methodist
No Denomination
Presbyterian
Quaker
Taoist
Unitarian

On average, how long are wedding ceremonies you officiate?

Less than 30 mins.

In which states are you licensed?

CA
DE
DC
FL
ME
MD
NJ
NY
PA
WV

What languages do you speak?

English
Spanish

Reviews of Rev. Stephen Stahley

This AI-generated summary gives you a snapshot of the overall ratings and feedback from the reviews this vendor has received.

Review summary

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The officiant is widely praised for being warm, communicative, and deeply personal, helping couples create meaningful, customizable ceremonies. Reviewers said he calmed nerves, encouraged personal vows, and handled paperwork and logistics professionally. He attended rehearsals and receptions and engaged warmly with guests. Couples strongly recommend him.

Review summary

Powered by AI
This AI-generated summary gives you a snapshot of the overall ratings and feedback from the reviews this vendor has received.

The officiant is widely praised for being warm, communicative, and deeply personal, helping couples create meaningful, customizable ceremonies. Reviewers said he calmed nerves, encouraged personal vows, and handled paperwork and logistics professionally. He attended rehearsals and receptions and engaged warmly with guests. Couples strongly recommend him.

Cari
Cari Sent on 11/19/2025
5 out of 5 rating

Rev. Steve Stahley Review

My wedding was such a special day filled with love and unforgettable moments. However, the ceremony was absolutely the very best part. The biggest reason for this, is how well Rev. Steve embodied the moment for my husband and I. He had a way of calming our nerves before, and during, the ceremony. It was very apparent he was comfortable and confident in his work, and he put personal touches in the ceremony that meant so much to us. Definitely recommend working with him.
Angela
Angela Sent on 10/23/2025
5 out of 5 rating

10/10 Officiant

Steve officiated my husband and I's wedding on June 7, 2025 and he was phenomenal to work with. From the very beginning, he walked through everything with us and made sure we had a clear understanding of all the details. Additionally, he has a very warm and friendly personality, making it an absolute blast to work with him. During and after the wedding, we received many compliments from our guests about Steve as our officiant. I would recommend him to anyone who is looking for a wedding officiant.
K
Kim Sent on 05/12/2025
5 out of 5 rating

Highly Recommend Rev. Stephen Stahley!

Rev. Stephen Stahley was absolutely wonderful! He made our wedding ceremony at Stone Tower Winery so special and meaningful. His guidance during the preparation process was very helpful, and his delivery of the ceremony was incredible. We especially appreciated his personal touches to the ceremony. He attended our Rehearsal Dinner and introduced himself to everyone prior to our wedding day. We highly recommend Rev. Stephen Stahley to any couple looking for a truly memorable wedding ceremony.
Marley
Marley Sent on 12/30/2024
5 out of 5 rating

Christmas Day in Baltimore

Steve is the absolute BEST. We decided about 20 days prior that we wanted to do a small elopement ceremony in our Baltimore Row home on Christmas Day. Within a week, Steve scheduled a facetime appointment with us to discuss our desires for the ceremony. We are not religious (though Steve is) and for every section of the ceremony, he went over the changes he would make in terminology, asked us if we were comfortable with the wording, and allowed us to make changes. When our wedding day finally arrived, Steve got there an hour and a half early with some food to share (we did an appetizer potluck) and he went over the flow of everything again. Everything started on time and the ceremony was beautiful (we did a unity candle ceremony)! It all took about 25min and then he stayed to explain the paperwork process to us and had some food before leaving for his own Christmas dinner. We couldn't have asked for a better experience and we are so grateful that he took the time out of his holiday to be a part of our big day 🖤
Teresa
Teresa Sent on 11/23/2024
5 out of 5 rating

Couldn’t have asked for a better ceremony!

Thank you to Rev. Stephen for creating the most perfect ceremony. It was the most special day all thanks to him. He is so easy to get along with, very thoughtful and we truly felt connected with god on our special day. We knew from our first meeting that he had to be our officiant and it was the best choice possible. Everyone at the wedding couldn’t stop complimenting how wonderful Rev. Stephen was and how beautiful the ceremony was. Thank you Rev. Stephen!
K
Kaitlyn Sent on 11/22/2024
5 out of 5 rating

Highly Recommend

Stephen was great to work with! He is very kind and accommodating. He was a great speaker and helped make the ceremony exactly what we envisioned. He fit right in with both of our families and we look forward to keeping in touch with him. We cannot recommend Stephen enough!
Hannah
Hannah Sent on 08/05/2024
5 out of 5 rating

Rev. Stephen Stahley

My husband and I got married back in June 2024. We had heard about Rev. Stephen Stahley through a friend who had him officiate her wedding in 2022. She had nothing but positive things to say. We decided to reach out/book with him and we are so happy we did! One of the best things about working with Rev. Stahley was the communication. We would email back and forth every month leading up to the wedding. We met with Rev. Stahley in-person a few months before the wedding to get to know each other and build rapport. Rev. Stahley has a great personality and makes you feel so comfortable.
Our wedding ceremony was absolutely beautiful! Rev. Stahley gave us the freedom to add any readings/rituals we wanted. He allowed us to really make the ceremony our own.
Rev. Stahley attended our wedding reception and enjoyed having many meaningful conversations with our family members.
We got so many compliments from our guests about him.
Book him now!! You won't regret it! :)
M
Meaghan Sent on 07/18/2024
5 out of 5 rating

A Perfect Fit

Stephen was the perfect fit to officiate our wedding and we are so glad to be connected to him. We were feeling like we were at a spiritual crossroads. My husband was previously divorced and we were both raised in the Catholic faith. Stephen brought all of the spirit of the sacrament in a way that felt both inclusive and familiar.

Upon meeting, he took a genuine interest in both of us and wanted to learn about our story and our lives. He has been very supportive and frequently went out of his way to check on us as we led up to the big day. He took care of every detail in certifying our certificate and letting us know what will come next as he walked us through the ceremony. Not only did he make it to our rehearsal in D.C. in person, but he joined us at the rehearsal dinner and wedding reception, speaking with many of our loved ones and getting to know us on a new level. While the ceremony was in the traditional style of a Catholic ceremony, he was very flexible with our preferred readings. He was even such a pro that he knew just when to seamlessly step aside so that we could nail the best photo!

Because he took the time to get to know us, he was able to deliver a more personalized ceremony that didn’t feel forced or unfamiliar, even though we had only met in the months leading up to our wedding.

In the months since the wedding, we have looked back happily on our day and are in adamant agreement that Stephen was such a big part of what made it feel extra special.
A
Adrienne Sent on 10/23/2023
5 out of 5 rating

Highly Recommend!!

My husband and I got married in August of 2023. We reached out to Stephen and couldn't be happier with our decision! Stephen was kind, understanding, flexible and helped us through every step of our ceremony. He was helpful and answered any questions we had and was really invested in our story and made our ceremony very personal. We could not recommend him more to those searching for an officiant for your big day!
Lauren
Lauren Sent on 10/23/2023
5 out of 5 rating

Highly Recommend!

We greatly enjoyed working with Rev. Stephen Stahley to officiate our wedding. He was very personable, easy to work with, and attentive - even emailing us each month to check in. We were provided a helpful guide to assist us in choosing our readings and planning out the ceremony but were assured that we could customize it as we wished. We initially were hesitant to write our own vows, but Stephen encouraged us to consider this, as these statements add a personal touch and are moving to the guests. We were so glad that we heeded his advice, as the vows truly added to our ceremony. We received many compliments on Stephen and the ceremony overall. The day of our wedding, Stephen was so warm and comforting, continually reminding us to relax and take deep breaths. His ceremony and prayers were thoughtful and personal. If you didn't know better, you would have thought we've known Stephen for years! Stephen was such a pleasure to work with. Highly recommend!
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Awards

88
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2024 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2023 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2022 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2021 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2020 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2019 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2017 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2016 Winner

Professional Network & Endorsements

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